Dare to Dream
by DontHateMeCuzImBeautiful
Summary: COMPLETE! After watching Inuyasha dissapear forever Kagome's having a hard time moving on. But in the night she finds someone who helps her see past her pain. The question is, what's the catch and how long will her newfound happiness last?
1. In the Dark of the Night

**Disclaimer: **Yeah yeah we all know I don't own Inuyasha...

**A/N:** Before anyone gets all freaked out on me, yes I deleted this, and yes it's back. With a few minor and major changes. All I did was edit really hard on this and add a whole other chapter to finish it off. Here's the first bit and the second bit will be here as soon as I send it off to my awesome beta.

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The stars outside of her bedroom window glowed more brightly tonight than they had in a long time. She sighed at the thought of yet another passing day and held back her tears with a sigh, rolling the same questions over in her mind that had been there since that last fateful day. Why did things have to happen this way? Whose fault was it? Would things have turned out differently if she hadn't been there? And the worst one of all, why couldn't she fix it?

Kagome flipped over onto her back, turning away from the sadness of the sky and opting instead for her ceiling which, unlike the rest of her now torn life, had remained the same through her entire state of being. Her eyes flicked quickly to the bottle of Zoloft in her left hand which she had ignored up until this point. What was the point of having it anyway? It wasn't like she used it at all and even if she did, it wouldn't work.

No medication was going to help heal her heart but in the same breath she could say that no one could possibly understand that it wasn't a mental problem that was keeping her depressed, but an emotional one that went deeper than anyone could possibly understand.

Sure her friends tried to cheer her up by inviting her out to places, setting her up on blind dates and absolutely preening over her, but she had refused their attentions and they eventually had slipped away into their own social lives. Her family, of course, had also tried nearly everything in the book, sending her to counselor after counselor, therapist after Kami loving therapist, which only seemed to depress Kagome further and would have annoyed her as well, if she was in touch with her emotions anymore.

The prescription of Zoloft was the latest of her medication journey and, just like every other one that they thought would work, had failed and miserably. She was convinced that no one, repeat, NO ONE, would ever understand if they hadn't been there to witness the saddest moment in her life. She tried to stave back tears at the memory of the loss...

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"_Inuyasha he's coming your way!" _

_Koga called through the attack that had nearly sliced him in half. _

"_I got him! WIND SCAR!"_

_Inuyasha gave off a mighty roar and sent the Tetsusaiga's best known power spiraling towards Naraku's demented body. The attack hit square on but the demon was not defeated yet. _

"_This isn't working Inuyasha and our forces are weakening!" Miroku called out in between a break from holding back a crying Sango at Kohaku's suddenly lifeless body. _

_And indeed they were. Everywhere Kagome looked they had taken a blow: _

_Koga was grasping his right arm in a vain effort to stem the flow of blood that flowed steadily from his shoulder; Miroku was still trying desperately to get Sango to stand to her feet though she seemed to lack both the strength and the will to go on to do this; Shippo sat, huddled in front of Kilala who had transformed back into her tiny self and was seemingly fighting to stay conscious. _

_Sesshomaru and Inuyasha seemed to be the only ones even remotely unaffected as Sesshomaru was too strong to be taken down so easily anyway but Inuyasha, as everyone knew, was indeed part human and it seemed this side of him was beginning to weigh him down. _

"_Inuyasha!" _

"_Stay back Kagome!" He yelled at her over his bloody and torn shoulder, "I don't want you in this!" _

_Gritting her teeth and biting her lip at the retort that fought to break free from her mouth Kagome stayed silent as she dodged yet another attack from Naraku that went ripping through the group. As she lay there, face down on the ground, she barely registered the young woman's presence before it was right beside her. Lifting her chin a bit to glance at her she murmured, "Kikyo...what took you so long?" _

_Instead of answering Kikyo let out a slightly mirthless laugh before exclaiming, "No doubt he's missed me as much as you have. Up girl, there is work to be done..." _

_For a moment Kagome was too shocked to react but a moment later Koga's screaming body flew through the air and she now had every incentive to move. Dragging herself to her feet she stood next to her reincarnation, adrenaline flowing through her like the blood in her veins. _

_Without a word Kikyo began moving forward and it took a moment before Kagome realized they were heading straight for Naraku. Grasping her bow from the ground a few feet away together they waltzed past Sango and Miroku's emotional moment together, through the carnage of the lifeless people, past Kilala and Shippo, the smallest members of their group, and eventually stood directly beside Inuyasha, Kikyo on his left, Kagome on his right. _

_He glanced at them both before breathing out, "Kikyo…what are you doing here?" _

_She didn't answer him merely looked up at Naraku who seemed to be sustaining for a rather large future attack and called out to Kagome, "Release the arrow on 3. Aim for the jewel; without it he is defeated." _

_For a moment Inuyasha looked from one to the other as though hoping one would explain. When neither girl complied with his unspoken wishes he looked at Kagome with a seemingly longing expression and whispered her name. She didn't bother to react to it but steadily began aiming the arrow over her right shoulder while exclaiming, "Inuyasha! When we release the arrows unleash the Wind Scar. The attacks should do the trick together." _

_She finally turned to look at him with a simple smile and was surprised at the look in his eye, at the seemingly sad grin that lingered on his lips. _

"_It always has…Kagome?" _

_She frowned slightly at his tone of voice. "What is it?" _

_He shuffled uncomfortably for a moment, seemingly gathering his words together before he pulled her close and murmured, "If anything happens to me I…thank you…for everything you've done for me…" _

_Unable to speak for a moment through her shock she quickly leaned into the embrace and replied quietly, "Nothing's going to happen…especially to you...We'll get through this." _

_She pulled away to look up at him but frowned when she saw his grim smile. Before she could dwell on it however he had turned to Kikyo and their hushed words made Kagome's stomach flip over before she turned back to her mission. She was somewhat relieved when he didn't embrace Kikyo as he had her and Kikyo exclaimed, "Come Kagome. Let us finish this." _

_Kagome nodded once before notching her arrow tightly hearing the tautness of Kikyo's bow next to her. Naraku prepared himself for an attack and Kikyo murmured, "Steady…steady…NOW!" _

_Kagome released the arrow that had lay taut against her cheek and watched it glow pink and silver next to Kikyo's bright and shimmering speck that flew towards Naraku at astonishing rates. Not long after Inuyasha yelled, "Adamant Barrage!" _

_Beside her on her right Sesshomaru's deep and normally uncaring voice passionately cried out, "Dragon Twister!" _

_The combination of the attacks hit Naraku full force and after a few agonizing moments is screams rent the air as over 50 years of evil were destroyed and dispersed. Once the dust had settled everyone was breathing hard, the aftereffects of battle instantaneously noticeable but for the first time there was no trace of Naraku at all. _

_No Hakudoshi as he had been defeated earlier, no little Akago whom Naraku had merged back with his body shortly before the battle, Kanna on the ground, her blank eyes still devoid of any emotion and Kagura who lay sprawled on the ground, her heart destroyed before the battle had even started by Naraku. _

_Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha who in turn looked at her before face broke into a wide and happy grin. She couldn't stop the impulse to run at him and jumped straight into his arms, her happy whoops slicing the newly silent air. _

"_We did it! We did it! Inuyasha you were brilliant!" She called out and pressed her mouth to his without even thinking. _

_She was unbelievably taken aback when he pushed back and nearly collapsed when he buried a clawed hand in her raven hair and pulled her closer. The world seemed to fall away as she moaned into his mouth and gave out a small smile. He released her reluctantly but continued to hold her close as they smiled at each other. _

"_You did it Inuyasha…I knew you could." _

_He shook his head happily and leaned his forehead against his as he whispered, "No…_we_ did it." _

_They continued staring at each other, eagerly glancing down at each other's lips before they were interrupted by another, "Ahem." _

_Turning at the sound of Koga's voice the entwined couple broke away abruptly, blushing immensely but still holding hands. Sango and Miroku came running up as well both with incredible smiles on their faces. _

"_So, is it really over?" _

_Sango asked somewhat warily but when Miroku pulled her into his arms her cautious face melted into pure bliss. Suddenly the friends were all laughing and hugging, smiling and shocked at the overall outcome of the ongoing battle. After a few moments the group broke apart to start the cleanup. Sango begin tending to Koga's wounds, Miroku prayed for the dead and Inuyasha cast a reassuring glance at Kagome before approaching Kikyo. _

_Meanwhile the younger miko pulled herself together and went searching for the jewel that Naraku had. Moving cautiously to the still steaming mass that was Naraku she went in search of the completed jewel that pulsated and called to her like a drug to a pipe. She wasn't far from where it lay when a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. The rest seemed to happen in slow motion. _

_She turned her head quickly to sight a partially intact Naraku, his grotesque form even more twisted and deformed form the combined attacks of the group. She hardly remembered screaming and wouldn't have thought it was her had Inuyasha not turned at the sound of her voice and the rest of the group turned in sudden attack mode. She and Inuyasha's locked for a moment before Naraku lashed out; Kagome waited for the deadly blow that never came..._

_And watched in horror as the target meant for her hit Inuyasha squarely through the heart._

_She was too shocked to scream, too angry to even realize that she was cursing at Naraku while notching back an arrow. She hardly noted the look of shocked fear that passed over the monstrous face before he was destroyed for good in a blaze of purifying light. As soon as he was out of sight she turned back to Inuyasha who had fallen to the ground in a heap, gasping though hanging on with the thread of stubbornness. _

_Falling to her knees beside him she grasped his head and pulled it into her lap, refusing to let the tears fall that threatened her. "Inuyasha...Inuyasha you're going to be okay...can you hold off until we get to the village?" She whispered and he chuckled weakly which quickly turned into a cough accompanied by a copious amount of blood. _

_The sight terrified Kagome beyond anything else and made a move to get up and retrieve her backpack not far away for medical supplies when he grasped her hand and murmured, "It's alright Kagome...are you alright?" _

_Nodding, her eyes wet with unshed tears and full of unwanted emotions she grasped his clawed hand in hers and raised it to her cheek where it rested lightly there to stem the flow from her eyes. Blood steadily pooled in the front of his hakama and she was beginning to get desperate. However, just as she was about to call for Sesshomaru and the lifesaving Tenseiga Inuyasha whispered, "I'm always saving your butt aren't I Kagome?" _

_Trying to grin through the sadness of the situation she giggled slightly and replied, "I could save myself if I wanted to...I just like having you around that's all..." _

_He smirked but it quickly turned into a grimace of pain as he gasped out, "I couldn't have made it this far without you Kagome...thank you, for always being by my side." _

_Realizing with a panic that his heart rate had slowed significantly she threw herself down on his chest and sobbed, "Inuyasha I never told you that I love you and now...now it's too late! Inuyasha don't go! I love you dammit I love you!" _

_His eyes grew shaded as he pulled her down closer to him, "I'll never leave you Kagome..._never_." _

_He said it with such finality it made Kagome's heart shatter but her next sob was stemmed by him pulling her down gently to kiss him once more, his lips still warm despite his life draining away. When she pulled away he wasn't breathing and the sight nearly caused her to scream. _

"_Inuyasha? Inuyasha...Inuyasha! Inuyasha wake up! No you can't go like this! You swore you'd protect me! Damn you Inuyasha! YOU LIED TO ME!" _

_But no matter how much yelling she did, no matter the screaming he wasn't coming back and the pain that followed was such that she couldn't feel herself anymore, she was completely numb. _

_So numb she could barely feel it as she was lifted from Inuyasha, could barely feel Sango as she hugged her closely while she continued to scream her torment, didn't feel at all the yell that rent from her throat when Sesshomaru tried to use the Tenseiga on his body and it didn't work, hardly even felt the shock as instead the hanyous's body disappeared into a miasmic like vapor that engulfed him before he was gone._

_No, instead she let the grief overwhelm her, allowed herself the comfort of her friends and that night when she had to return to Kaede and the Goshinboku with Kikyo she didn't say a word as she agreed to purify the jewel with the older miko. She stood breathless and uncaring as Kikyo was burned again, sending the jewel into eternity with her once more and, in fact, the last time she showed any type of emotion was when she returned back to her side of the well for supplies and found she couldn't get back through. The anger, the sadness and bitter resentment towards life so thoroughly bowled into her it was a wonder her mother found her hours later, lying on the cold dirt at the bottom of the well, a non moving heap that had lost everything she held dear._

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In the weeks to come she still couldn't believe it was all over, was sure every morning that she would awake next to a burnt out fire, Shippo curled up in front of her in the sleeping bag, Sango lying not far away with Miroku and Inuyasha stationed on trees close to one another, eyes closed but senses still alert for any sign of danger.But instead of the forest she merely awoke to her comfortable bed sheets, something she longed for while still in the past but that just reminded of how horrible it really was; instead of the remaining warmth of an outdoor fire it was her lamp that shone in her face from where she had fallen asleep studying again; in the place of the warmth and protection of little Shippo cuddled in her lap there was only her stuffed animal that didn't breathe in perfect precision with her own at night and was often found on the floor in the morning where it had been pushed to get away from her; but what she missed most of all couldn't be re-enacted in any way.

She no longer felt that unseen but very real protection of Inuyasha, needed to feel that she was always safe, even in sleep, because no matter what, he'd protect her. Though she wasn't sure that he was truly gone, whether she was disbelieving or not. Some nights she felt as though someone were watching her but not in an uncomfortable way; more in a way that meant she wasn't alone, would never be alone, because there was an entity there to still make sure she was safe, always would be.

Things got even worst after the accident. Only a couple of weeks after Kagome thought she was strong enough to go back to school she'd been in a bad car accident that injured both she and Ayumi and put her friend Eri in the hospital for a while. After that everything seemed a little bit weird to Kagome, as though after the accident the world had become distorted and crude.

One night she swore she saw a patch of red fly by the window but it happened so fast she wrote it off thinking she was hallucinating and when she went to the window nothing was in sight.

But she tried to continue her life as a normal teenaged girl whose only real problem were the high school entrance exams and not fighting demons on a daily basis while fighting for her life. The world felt like such a boring place without the risks, without the constancy of being on your toes, never letting your guard down. She barely had anytime at all to worry about Inuyasha, to forgive and forget her first love, so sucked under was she by her boring but incredibly crammed new life.

On top of trying to keep her social life up to par she was still cram studying to first catch up and then _keep up_ with all her friends in the classroom, and that was before Hojo began trailing her like a puppy dog on an invisible leash. Continuously she turned down his date offers, over and over again she tried to say no though she never really gave it a chance. She guessed that she just didn't feel like dating but on the inside knew that wasn't the answer.

She knew she was simply holding out for Inuyasha, still hung on to that single strand of hope in her mind that insisted he would come back for her though it had been a couple of months since she'd last seen him face to face. So she continued to decline Hojo and a few others that thought they stood a chance but one night changed everything and she found she no longer needed to decline offers anymore.

It was late as she tried desperately to force all the information she needed for the next day's science test into her already full and busy mind and she knew she was getting nowhere. After she had read the same sentence about the biomes of Earth about 6 or 7 times she sighed and decided she'd better pack up for the night.

She grabbed her pajamas (pink spaghetti strap with matching white and pink bottoms) off the nearby dresser, picked up a towel on the way down the hall and took a quick shower, allowing all the stress and worry to roll off her shoulders for at least a short while. She headed back to her room towel blotting her hair, the back and front of her top soaking wet from wet strands that had escaped the towel and that she promptly ignored. But when she returned to her room there was someone sitting on her bed, facing away from her and fiddling with something she couldn't see.

The gaudy red outfit struck her as oddly proverbial but she hardly dared to believe that _he_ was here, at this time and place, after she had waited so long for this exact moment. She stopped breathing as whatever was in his hands hurt him and a familiar curse was uttered. "Inu-Inuyasha?" She whispered, afraid of even speaking his name out loud for fear he was a mere illusion that could still break her heart when he disappeared into thin air.

But no, the figure froze and turned slowly to look at her, that signature look of being caught doing something he wasn't supposed to on his face. When he realized it was her however, he stood to his feet quickly and whispered, "Kagome?"

She didn't know what else to do but nod as she felt tears unwittingly spring to her mocha eyes and, without a word, he held out his arms to her, a pleading look on his face that said he wanted her forgiveness, begged her for it, lest there be two broken hearts in a single night. And she was more than willing to give it to him. She went sprinting across the room and into his arms, those comforting arms that gave her the protection and power she needed, the only thing she'd wanted and the one thing she'd dreamed of since she left.

Nothing was said as she sobbed into the front of his hakama but he seemed to understand as he just held her tight, burying his face in her hair while whispering her name over and over, as though he couldn't believe she was really there anymore than she believed he was. How long they stood that way, so comforted by each other's embrace and mere presence they didn't want to move, neither knew. All they did know was that if they started speaking it would ruin the moment and there was a chance one of them would get hurt.

Eventually it was Inuyasha who broke the silence as he whispered, "I'm sorry Kagome...I didn't mean to make you wait."

Kagome managed a weak and slightly bitter giggle as she playfully slapped him and murmured, "You had me worried there for a second. I thought that, maybe..."

When she trailed off he leaned down to kiss her forehead, tightened his grip around her and whispered, "I've missed you...so much..."

Slowly she settled into his grasp and found herself dozing off but just before the world went dark and her body went slack he whispered in her ear, "I'll be back..."

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When she awoke the next morning she lay in her bed beneath her warm blankets, as comfortable as though someone had placed her there and for a moment she didn't remember how she got there. All she remembered was getting out of the shower, then coming back in her room...and then it clicked. Inuyasha had been there, she remembered and she sat straight up in bed as though she'd been electrocuted.

There was her towel, on the ground where she had dropped it before she went racing into his arms. She abruptly raised her shirt up to her face and took a big whiff and nearly passed out with joy. It smelled just like him, just like her dreams and she jumped out of bed in order to give out a yell of happiness.

All morning, as she got dressed, as she ate her breakfast, as she walked to school, as she suffered through her classes she went with a bounce in her step and a secret grin that no one could quite place. When asked what was wrong she merely answered, "My boyfriend's back in town."

This was partly true, she justified to herself.

"_I'll be back..." _

That's what he had told her and she couldn't wait until she could see him again though she wasn't sure if he was going to come back that night or later somehow she knew in her heart that he would be there when she needed him and she felt she needed him that night. However, he didn't come back that night. At least, not before she fell asleep.

She awoke in the middle of the night to see the silhouette of a boy sitting as casually on her windowsill as though he were waiting for her to awaken so he could tell her good morning.

"Inuyasha?" she murmured into the dark and he turned abruptly at the sound of her voice but smiled placidly as he whispered, "You looked pretty tired so I didn't want to wake you."

She smiled back at him and got up, walking quickly across the floor towards him on the windowsill. He followed her with his eyes but didn't say anything else as she climbed up next to him and leaned back against the wall behind her.

"I knew you'd be back tonight," she murmured after a while and he looked down at her before muttering, "Feh, and how'd you know that?"

She smiled and looked out past him into the night sky. He sounded just like his old self, as though nothing had changed at all with him and she was comforted by his semi harsh tones with the affection underlying his words. He noticed her slight giggle and rolled his eyes before pulling her up into his lap, comfortably shifting her so that she lay inside the jacket of his kimono while she lay back against his hardened chest. The effect it had on her was comforting as he folded his arms over her and she placed her hands on top of his.

Slowly his uneven breathing and her quick one joined to become one and their chests rose and fell at the same time creating a harmony that only their hearts could hear. It was a while before either of them spoke until Inuyasha murmured abruptly, "I wanted to come back sooner Kagome."

She said nothing but looked up a little at him in surprise as she whispered, "Why didn't you?"

Again he took a while in answering but instead tightened his grip slightly on her before he mumbled, "I was...afraid."

Now she was really surprised and turned in his arms to look up at him completely. "Afraid of what?"

A shrug. "Seeing you again. I thought...I thought you wouldn't l-you know...me anymore."

Kagome nearly fell off his lap but instead laughed out loud as she told him, "Stop loving _you_? It'd be easier to tell the moon not to turn you into a human!" She stopped laughing abruptly and blushed at her statement looking away from his curious eyes before mumbling, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean-!"

"No," Inuyasha tilted her head up by the chin, amber eyes heavily hooded as he whispered, "Don't ever be sorry Kagome...especially not for me..."

Without thinking Kagome lifted her head and their lips met in the middle sending an electric shock down her spine and an indistinguishable sound to escape her mouth. The sound seemed to spur him on more than anything as Inuyasha pulled her closer by her back, arching her as close to him as gravity would allow. He experimentally slipped his tongue into her mouth and the moan he elicited was more than enough reward for him to continue.

Slowly and almost hesitantly she slid her arms around to encircle his neck and he wrapped his arms more firmly around her waist. Her pajamas, tonight silk bottoms with a button up top, slipped open to reveal her pink bra that she'd worn to school that morning and Inuyasha flicked a casual claw across it, making a clean cut of it straight in half. She gasped and pulled away to argue but he captured her mouth again more fiercely and all arguments flew from her head and into her lips.

She vaguely felt him lift her off her feet but until her back softly hit the mattress beneath her she didn't realize that he had laid her on the bed. She felt him over top of her but was only reacting to his touch, to the feel of him on her naked chest, hands trailing down her sides leaving burning trails of fire that had nothing to do with a flame.

"Inuyasha!" She gasped breathlessly as his mouth ravished hers once more, loving the fierceness behind his kisses while the gentleness in his touch drove her crazy. Surely this was heaven; this was what she had wanted for so many years from him and him alone. His hands had reached the elastic waistband of her bottoms and he pulled away from her mouth to whisper breathlessly, "I love you Kagome...do you really want to do this? I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do..."

She sat looking up at him for a moment as if seeing if he were joking but then grinned seductively and replied tenderly, "I've wanted to do this since I met you. Don't worry..."

She kissed him again and continued, "I will never regret this."

He smiled back at her though he looked a bit worried about her. Slowly he rolled the elastic down, just enough to see the very top of her panty line which seemed to entice him further and before she knew it the bottoms were completely gone, only her skimpy drawers remaining. He took a look at every perfectly symmetrical curve on her body, at her perfectly rounded breasts and breathed, "Damn..."

She giggled shyly and whispered, "You're turn..."

He looked at her in confusion before she jumped up and flipped him over so that she was straddling his waist, placing a cooling hand to his heated chest. Before she even thought about it her hands were at the ties of his hakama slipping them down to his pantiless waist. His body was perfectly chiseled, like a real live Japanese Adonis and the waist above his line of pubic hairs was equally molded into what Kagome had only seen with her Ken dolls. Just as she was rolling it down completely he groaned and grasped her hand to stop her going further. She looked up into his face in confusion wondering what could be wrong at this time and place. His eyes however told her to keep quiet and she obeyed more than willingly.

After a moment she mouthed, "What is it?"

He sighed again and sat up gently nudging her off of him as he murmured irritatingly, "Your brother's awake and headed this way..."

She groaned and then glanced down at herself and gasped. "Oh no! He can't see us like this! I don't even have any clothes on!"

She murmured frantically and quickly found her pajama bottoms and top, buttoning it all the way up so that her now bra-less boobs wouldn't be noticed too much. When she turned back to Inuyasha he was carefully fitting Tetsusaiga in its sheath back into the side of his hakama. She caught his eye and whispered sadly, "I guess...I guess you're leaving now..."

He sighed and replied just as disappointedly, "Yeah..."

She sighed and walked over to the window carefully, making it look as though she had opened it for a cool breeze to enter. He came up behind her and brushed her hair to the side from her neck, kissing her along the base of her throat as he told her seductively, "But I'll be back tomorrow night..."

She smiled, giving in to his gentle caresses and whispered, "You promise?"

He chuckled darkly and turned her around to face him, fitting his arms carefully around her waist as he whispered, "Would I lie to you?"

She captured his mouth eagerly and nearly cried out loud when his hands pushed the back of her shirt up and caressed her bare back with tender yet rough hands that searched and yearned for something he was so close too but couldn't have. Not yet. Her body had fit into his, pushing against his as though they were going to do whatever with their clothes on when...

"Kagome...hey sis are you awake in there?" Inuyasha groaned and pulled away reluctantly, giving her back a last, much needed rub before jumping to the window sill outside. He looked back from there and gave her a final peck that turned into a lingering make out session until Souta knocked on the door impatiently again.

Kagome broke away this time and whispered, "I love you..."

He kissed her forehead and murmured back, "I love you more..."

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The next day, after she had shooed Souta out of her room, Kagome couldn't help but be antsy and nearly raced home after school to be back with Inuyasha. After he had left Kagome had nearly kissed her pillow, an impulse she resisted with extreme difficulty. More than anything she was anxious for night to come, for her prince to come, for that precious dog demon from another world to take her away somewhere where she wouldn't have to wait until night time to see him again, not even sure if he would come.

But her fears were needless as he returned that night nearly as soon as it got dark and the bustling city of Tokyo was quiet, nearly as still as the wind. As soon as he arrived she felt his presence more than saw it at first but when she turned around he was already on her, as though he had been waiting as eagerly and anxiously as she had, all day waiting for the opportunity to be together again. She was in his arms and kissing him breathless before her mind even knew what had really happened.

He lapped at the side her neck affectionately and murmured, "Gods I missed you so much...I thought I'd never get to come see you..."

She smiled and replied, "I know what you mean..."

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! Next chappie will be here soon!**


	2. Sweet Dreams Are Made of Mist

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Disclaimer: Don't own…but I continuously thank Rumiko Takahashi for her creativity so that I may torture her characters as I see fit.

**A/N: Here it is ladies and gentlemen, the chapter that I've waited almost a year to get out to you guys. Long Author's Note at the end so I'm going to shut up now so you all can GET READING!**

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The next few days passed in a blur for the ex-miko. Every morning Inuyasha disappeared without a trace but every night he was there by her side as soon as it was dark out. It wasn't long before Kagome dreaded the morning light while longing for the protection night offered. More than once she had tried to stay awake the entire night in order to prevent Inuyasha from leaving, but every time she refused he would lie on the bed with her and whisper in her ear, "Sleep Kagome…It's OK…sleep…"

Of course she obeyed him unquestionably and things were alright for a while. Many nights later they were sitting in the windowsill again, Kagome leaning back against Inuyasha as she idly traced the pattern she'd been making on his hand.

"Kagome," he asked her with infinite tenderness, "I'm leaving in the morning."

The statement sent a pang to Kagome's heart and she whispered, "I know that…"

Chuckling under his breath he continued, "But when I do…I want you to come with me."

This gave the young girl pause and she turned to stare up at him with wide eyes. "Go…with…you? Seriously?"

He turned her in his arms so that she was facing him completely and looked deadly serious for once. "Kagome, what else is there for you here? I miss you so much during the day. I don't want to keep hiding from everybody else damn it! Don't you want to come with me?" He murmured the end and ducked his head as though her refusal would cause physical damage.

Kagome was taken aback and nearly shouted, "Inuyasha why would you even ask? Of course I want to be with you! It's just that…leaving my family…they'll be worried and-!"

Inuyasha's snort cut her off and she was so shocked she could only sit back in silence as he practically growled, "Kagome this is the only way that we'll be able to be together don't you see that? I thought you loved me…"

"Inuyasha of course I love you but how am I supposed to just pick you over my family? I love them too you know!"

Turning away from her to crouch on the outside of the sill Inuyasha snorted again. "I get it. You love me, just not enough to be with me forever. Okay, fine…"

"Inuyasha it isn't like that at all! Why are you acting like this?" Kagome was practically begging and after another second of irritation his anger seemed to melt. Sighing he pulled her back into the warmth of his arms and became the comfortable Inuyasha she had always remembered.

"I'm sorry Kagome don't cry. It's just…I don't want to have to leave you anymore. It's getting harder to come back to you..." He murmured and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

"Harder? Why is it-?"

"Shhh…don't worry about it now Kagome. Just go to sleep," Inuyasha ordered gently. Still slightly put out by his uncustomary questions and reactions, Kagome looked as though she were about to argue but thought better of it at the last minute.

"Alright Inuyasha…see you tomorrow night?" She whispered sleepily into his haori.

"Yeah I'll be here…if I have to fight to get here I will be…" He promised quietly, but Kagome was already drifting off so she couldn't be sure exactly what it was that he had said.

* * *

As per usual Inuyasha returned the next night, and the next, and the next without even a single mention of the unexpected question he'd thrown at Kagome only a few nights previous. They were as lovely as all the other nights before it but for the first time in a long time Kagome felt a strange sort of tension that accompanied the demon now whenever he was around her.

It wasn't a noticeable difference. He continued to be just as loving to her as he had been before, kissing her tenderly and lying beside her until she fell asleep at night. But it was the subtle ways that he touched her now, less like a protective dog demon and more like a jealous squid. Kagome felt like he was holding on tighter and tighter to her, as though he wanted to say something but couldn't. She felt if she didn't say something soon she'd suffocate.

"Inuyasha, can I ask you something?" Kagome asked him gently. She was taking advantage of her entire family being out of the house as she and Inuyasha were sitting on her bedroom floor, she making a necklace while he lounged quietly beside her.

He shrugged and murmured, "What is it?"

Frowning at his less than curious tone of voice she continued as though she hadn't heard him. "Remember when you told me it was getting harder for you to come back? Why is that?"

His answer was a long time in coming as he merely turned onto his back to stare up at her ceiling. After long moments of silence Kagome sighed and resumed her task. She opened her mouth to ask him another question when he abruptly murmured, "Have you noticed anything weird since I started coming to you? Anything… unusual since the accident?"

Completely taken aback Kagome didn't know how to respond. Sure she had noticed the world seemed a little more distorted. Her friends were the same as usual but more subdued now that she thought about it, her mother did nearly the same thing she did everyday while the rest of her family seemed a little tame. Souta hadn't invited any of his friends over in a while and she hadn't gotten any phone calls either…

Instead of telling him any of this however she told him, "Not really…and how do you know about the accident?"

Pulling himself up into his customary sitting position Inuyasha stared hard into her eyes. "The accident is the whole reason I'm here Kagome. That's the whole reason it's getting harder to come back to see you…"

Completely confused Kagome almost flinched when he pulled both of her hands into his and lifted her chin so that she was looking straight into his face. "Inuyasha I still don't understand. What does the accident have to do with you being here now?"

"It's got everything to do with it! Your body is trying to wake up and your mind is not cooperating! That's the whole reason I'm here. I was just supposed to come and tell you to wake up but I…I don't want to let you go yet…" He tried to explain but Kagome felt as though she'd frozen in time. What the hell was he talking about…?

"My body's trying to wake up…? Inuyasha what the hell are you talking about I am awake!" She yelled and shot to her feet as though he'd insulted her. He stood with her but held up placating hands as he sighed and tried again.

"Kagome you've got to listen to me. I want you to wake up right now. It's getting more and more dangerous the longer that you're asleep…"

"Inuyasha stop it you're scaring me…"

"That's not the point Kagome. The longer that you're here the harder it is for me to get to you. Pretty soon I won't be able to come at all. You've got to let go of me and wake up!"

"STOP IT!"

Kagome looked for a moment like she was going into shock and Inuyasha shot forward only to be rejected by her hand. "Kagome…?"

She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and shook her head to hide the tears that were cascading down her red and confused face. "Just stop it…" she whispered and crossed the room to her bed where she perched on the edge without saying anything else. "I think…I think you should go Inuyasha…"

Looking completely flabbergasted the half demon looked for a moment as though he were going to argue but he took one look at the broken girl on the bed and seemed to think better of it. He leaned down to kiss her gently on the forehead before perching himself on the window sill in preparation to jump. At the last second he turned to look at her and mumbled, "I'll be back tomorrow night Kagome. Think about…think about what I said."

And with that he was gone.

* * *

Kagome didn't sleep a wink after Inuyasha left and was still lying awake in the early morning hours when her mother came to wake her for school. She didn't seem in the least bit concerned to see her daughter already awake and continued to smile pleasantly when Kagome announced that she didn't want to go to school today.

"Are you alright?" She asked through her smile and Kagome did her best to return it as she nodded and explained that she just needed a little rest.

For the first half of the morning Kagome could hardly believe Inuyasha's words. His explanations had raised more questions than answers and the more she thought of it all the more of a headache it became. Somehow he had known about the accident so that meant that it had really happened. It also meant that he had been around for awhile before he announced himself. He kept telling her that the accident was the whole reason he was there. Was he watching over her to make sure the accident hadn't left her with any negative side effects? And if that was the case why had he waited so long to come and check on her? It was at least a month before he'd shown himself to her though he had mentioned that he was afraid to come back. Still, he could have shown himself before then.

But the most disturbing of all of his new details had been when he was trying to tell her to wake up. Kagome had yet to rationalize exactly why he kept telling her that since, as far as she was concerned, she was as awake as she always was when her eyes were open. She skipped over that thought for the time being and focused on the fact that he claimed it was getting harder for him to come back to see her, probably the scariest of all his enlightenments in the past few days.

If it was getting harder for him to come back then eventually he wouldn't be able to come at all, that's what he had told her. If that was the case, Kagome resolved, she would do everything she could to keep him with her. Even if that meant 'Waking Up', or whatever it was he had been talking about.

Around lunchtime she got too restless just staying in the house and decided that a walk around Tokyo would help clear her mind. After all, what was an afternoon to herself if it wasn't out in the crowded, smoke infested city?

Wandering around for what seemed like hours Kagome had yet to have a sudden revelation that proved Inuyasha's point about the world being different because she was asleep. In fact, not a thing seemed out of place, save for the car accident on the road down the street from the shrine. But she hadn't even spared it a glance at the time, opting instead to bow her head in silent prayer before continuing on her way to the WacDonald's.

Seated in a booth while sipping contentedly on a chocolate milkshake she tried to go over anything strange that might have happened after the accident, the time frame in which Inuyasha claimed she "fell asleep". That took a bit of thinking on her part.

Was he counting when he finally showed up? Or when guys magically stopped asking her out on dates? Or maybe the fact that everyone in her house had been acting as if in a never-ending routine since he showed up…? But none of these things seemed even remotely suspicious (save for his appearance), so why all the sudden misgivings?

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, sitting back in the booth with her hand over her face. "This is pointless…"

"Tough day huh?"

Kagome snorted. "You have no idea…"

And then, after another moment, froze completely where she sat. That voice…but it couldn't be…not here of all places…

Kagome warily opened her eyes to stare at the person sitting across from her in the booth. Had she still been drinking her milkshake she had no doubt she would have choked on it or spit it halfway across the table.

Kikyo merely smiled at her from across the Formica tabletop, folding her hands underneath her chin so that her elbows were resting on the table. She looked the exact same as she always did five-hundred years in the past, her long black hair flowing around her and spilling onto the seat next to her. The only differences were the clothes she wore and the smile that was so pleasant it seemed almost unnatural on her rather lovely face. She wore a rather nice summer dress, red and white (of course), that was slightly formfitting but very nice on her slender frame.

"Kikyo? But how-and you-and…_what the hell are you doing here_?" Kagome couldn't help but nearly shout in astonishment. Her mere presence was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle that Kagome never even dreamed could happen.

Kikyo merely chuckled at the younger girls' outburst and explained in the naturally quiet voice of hers, "Always a pleasure to see you again Kagome. You seem to have done well for yourself in the months since I've last seen you. Tell me, how is Inuyasha?"

As per usual when she mentioned Inuyasha, Kagome tensed and prepared to go on the defensive with her. But Kikyo didn't look at all hostile towards her, or sad or angry or any of the emotions Kagome had come to deal with in the past…she seemed genuinely curious as to the hanyou's whereabouts.

Still eyeing her dubiously Kagome replied, "You mean besides the fact that he's keeping what is probably important information from me on purpose? Oh he's doing just fine."

Still smiling Kikyo giggled and Kagome found herself hoping to hear it once more. "Is that so? But surely he's given you clues as to what this important information is? I've never known Inuyasha to keep things from you without having a good reason."

Kagome was a little taken aback. When Kikyo said it, it made a lot more sense than the way the younger of the two had been thinking of it. But Kagome wasn't ready to be calmed yet. Se was irritated and confused and felt she had a right to continue to be so until she got some answers.

"Yeah he did give me clues, but nothing that made sense," Kagome complained and sat back dejectedly in the booth. "He keeps saying that my accident is the whole reason he's here, that I need to wake up and it's getting harder for him to come back. None of that makes any sense. They just don't add up! I'm beginning to think I'm going crazy…"

This time Kikyo's smile faltered the smallest bit before she reached across the table and grasped one of Kagome's hands in hers. "Kagome, Inuyasha loves you. Whether you want to believe it or not he would never harm you and so he keeps things to himself to protect you. Apart the clues are pointless. It's only together that they will make sense."

Still staring at where the two were joined at the hand Kagome whispered, "But if you're here that means you know the answer…"

Kikyo nodded.

"Okay then…the accident is the reason he's here. He couldn't have been coming to watch over me because he didn't show up until weeks afterwards…That means he came for a different reason, to tell me something important maybe? Wait a minute! He said the whole reason he was here was so that he could tell me to wake up!"

She looked up for confirmation and Kikyo nodded. "That's it, keep thinking Kagome…"

Kagome looked away and continued more to herself than anything, "But he said he couldn't let me go yet, that was why he hadn't told me yet. This just takes us back around to the fact that I need to wake up. But I still don't understand why it's getting harder for him to come back. If it's so hard why is he still coming to see me? He wanted me to go away with him but I wouldn't and he…he got so angry. Are the two connected?"

Once more she looked up at Kikyo who was no longer smiling but frowning slightly and looked reluctant to let the girl continue. "They are indeed connected. You're almost there now, keep going…"

"So the whole reason he was coming back was to wake me up but he waited a long time. That's why it's harder to come back, because he's not doing his job so he's losing the right…he wanted me to come back with him so that we could just be together without him having to struggle anymore. So that means it all comes down to me waking up…but that doesn't make any sense either. I can't really be asleep can I?"

This time Kikyo withdrew her hand when she looked up at her and her frown became even more pronounced. Though she didn't answer Kagome saw the sadness in her eyes that spoke so much louder than words ever could. "Kagome, Inuyasha and I have passed on. The only way that we could ever have come to you…is in your dreams."

This time Kagome's shock was more real and pronounced than what it had been minutes previously. "D-dreams…? That means that…I didn't wake up after the accident, did I?" She whispered as her gaze fell to the tabletop.

Kikyo nodded grimly. "That's right. The reason that Inuyasha came back for you is because of your inability to let go of the past. Because you were upset with him when he died he couldn't move on and now he's back to try and help you. Kagome, you must let him go in order to wake up. Move on as he would have wanted you too and live your life happily."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. Live without Inuyasha? Hadn't she tried that already? She was happy with him in her dreams. Going back to the real world would be like living a lie, something she didn't think she could do anymore. But still…if Inuyasha couldn't come back after all she would be trapped here without him and unable to get back out, an even worst prospect.

"How long do we have together?" she mumbled miserably without bringing her gaze up to Kikyo's eyes.

"Two nights at the most. Your body is beginning to shut down on itself Kagome. If you wait any longer you'll be trapped inside your mind. However," Kikyo paused and Kagome finally met her stare, "there is another option."

When she paused Kagome made an impatient hand gesture, desperate to know anyway that she could possibly stay with Inuyasha. "What is it?"

This time Kikyo looked away from her and murmured, "You could take Inuyasha's offer and go away with him as he asked you before."

"But there will be consequences." It wasn't a question it was a statement and once more Kikyo nodded.

"If you go away with Inuyasha your body cannot go with you. Your mind and soul will follow you with him…into the next life."

Here there was absolute silence, only the sounds of the people in the WacDonald's making any noise at all. Kagome blanked it out and simply stared. "You mean I'll…die?"

She swallowed hard. Somehow it wasn't the prospect of dying that frightened her. It was the fact that Inuyasha had never said anything about it when he asked her to go away with him. Did she have the courage to leave behind everything she knew for her one true love? Or would he want her to be happy and alive, living her life out the way it was intended before she ever fell through the well?

"It grows dark Kagome. He will be with you soon…" Kikyo exclaimed and stood to her feet expectantly.

Kagome looked out the window and noted that it was indeed sunset. She stood to her feet as well and faced Kikyo with a wan smile on her face. "You know Kikyo, if we had met under different circumstances, you and I…I think we could have been the best of friends," she commented and Kikyo seemed taken aback by her statement before she smiled back.

"The possibilities are endless," she replied, and then more seriously added, "He awaits. Good luck, Kagome."

Kagome nodded once and whispered, "Thank you."

She ran out the nearest exit as fast as she could. It wasn't until she had run across the street that she looked back. As expected, Kikyo had vanished.

* * *

Kagome lay anxiously on her bed, willing the sun both to speed up it's course around the Earth and slow down to give her more time to think. She had made her decision on the walk home as she realized a few things.

One, if she woke up she'd probably be in a whole lot of pain, both physically and emotionally.

Two, she was fairly certain that the reason she hadn't woken up was because she was in a coma, though neither Kikyo nor Inuyasha could tell her that as they had no idea what a coma was back in Sengoku Jidai.

And three, if she left she might never get to see her friends ever again. Sure there was the possibility that they had been reincarnated in some way in the present but did she want to risk it? She didn't know what she would do if she did indeed get back and that outlook was scarier than facing a hundred demons without Inuyasha there…

"You look a little stressed…"

Inuyasha's voice was a welcome distraction from her tumultuous thoughts, but as soon as she looked at him she wished she hadn't. His eyes held the same tired look that had always haunted him on nights that he was human, vulnerable and achingly, unfamiliarly sad.

She tried to smile for his benefit and sat up so she was looking him in the eye. "It's been a long day to say the least…"

He held his arms out to her and she immediately found herself engulfed in his haori, his embrace like a balm on her damaged heart. Without realizing it she sobbed, holding onto him as though he were the lifeline to her sanity, every bottled up emotion she'd been feeling since that afternoon pouring from her red rimmed eyes.

So immersed in her own feelings of self-pity she hardly felt it when Inuyasha swept her into his lap on the windowsill and merely held her for what could be the last time. When she finally calmed down enough to speak he buried his nose in her hair and she whispered, "I talked to Kikyo today…"

Without flinching he sighed. "I know…"

"Why didn't you tell me what you meant? About waking up?" She quietly demanded, though there was absolutely no anger or accusation in her words.

"I couldn't Kagome. What would you have done if I had told you that this wasn't real? That you were just dreaming about us being together?"

She turned her body to look at him and captured his chin in her hand. "Don't you get it? This is real. To me, this will forever be real; as real as every moment we spent together in the past. Still," she released his face and settled for staring lovingly into his gaze, "I understand why you didn't tell me. At least we had this long together…"

He instinctively tightened his grip on her and the two sat together in silence for long minutes, unwilling to do what they knew they would have to shortly. Finally he murmured, "Have you made your decision?"

He sounded only slightly hopeful though the small bit that layered his voice nearly broke Kagome's heart. She nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

He sighed once more and mumbled, "Hold on tight then."

Gripping her tightly around the waist he turned her over in his arms and they soared out of her open window and it didn't take Kagome long to realize they were headed for the well house.

Stopping just beside the well the two stared at it warily, as though it were going to attack them at any moment. "This is the way back?" Kagome whispered and Inuyasha merely nodded.

She turned to look at him and choked up all over again. He looked as sad as she felt, maybe worse, but he was putting on the tough guy face she had always loved and adored.

"Well, I guess this is it…" he exclaimed.

"Guess so…" she replied.

There was a moment's pause, the span of a heartbeat, and the two were locked in each other's embrace once more, mouths pressed together with all the eagerness of being together again. It was a long moment before they pulled away again and Kagome was breathing hard, trying hard to stave her tears back.

"I love you…" She murmured and kissed him once more, as passionately as she could.

"I love you more…" He told her back and hugged her tightly to his body, as though he could meld them into one creature if he held on tight enough.

He finally released her and she took a step away from him, stopping just as she sat on the edge of the well. She looked back over her shoulder at him and tried to smile once more before she slipped off the edge and into the darkness.

So ready was she to wake up that Kagome hardly noticed that she wasn't in a bed. In fact, she wasn't even back in the real world yet. Instead, she sat at the bottom of the well in the darkness, confused and completely disoriented. Just to make sure she wasn't completely crazy she yelled, "Inuyasha?"

A mere second passed before his head appeared over the lip of the well and he shouted down, "Are you alright?"

"I think so…can I get a little help here?"

Another second later and he landed next to her on the well's bottom, gently scooped her into his arms and launched them back up and out. Staring down at the old well Kagome was confused.

"I don't get it…I made my decision. Why can't I go back?" She asked Inuyasha.

He snorted, obviously just as confused as she. "Don't know…what did Kikyo say you were supposed to do to get back?"

She thought about it rather quickly but came up with nothing. "I don't kno-,"

"_Kagome, you must let him go in order to wake up…"_

Kikyo's voice suddenly whispered as clearly as though she were standing right next to the couple and Kagome looked around in surprise.

_Let him go…?_

"_Move on as he would have wanted you too and live your life happily…"_

Shaking her head to rid herself of the tears that had suddenly sprung to her eyes Kagome whispered, "I don't think I can…"

A slight breeze made its way from the well and gently caressed the side of Kagome's face in as close to a sisterly manner as she had ever felt. She closed her eyes and leaned into the light touch while Inuyasha merely watched her in confusion.

"_Do it…for both of you…"_

Sighing Kagome smiled gently and nodded once. "For both of us…"

"Uh…Kagome?"

Inuyasha's puzzled voice cut through the moment and Kagome turned to him feeling somehow calmer than she had felt in ages. She walked up to him until they were mere inches apart and grasped both of his hands in hers. He glanced down at where they were joined but quickly turned his gaze back to her eyes.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered quietly.

"What is it Kagome?"

Taking a deep breath Kagome allowed a single tear to run down her cheek as she continued with some of her last words to her love.

"Inuyasha, you have fulfilled your promise to me, to our friends, and to yourself. You've protected me as much as you possibly could both then and now. I recognize your vow as accomplished and I…I relinquish my hold on you…"

Before the half demon could say a word she kissed him fully on the lips. At the exact same time a sharp insistent wind flew out of the well and roared through the entire well house. It suddenly seemed as though the entire world were melting around them: everything besides Inuyasha distorted and began dissolve around the two. Kagome pulled away and smiled up gently at him.

"You're free now…you can move on," she explained carefully and Inuyasha took a deep breath, as though he hadn't breathed in a long time.

He smiled back down at her while the wind whipped their hair around them and the world broke down and turned to chaos. Leaning his forehead against hers he kissed her forehead gently.

"I love you Kagome, never doubt it. I may be free, but I'll never leave you completely."

Kagome laughed out loud through her tears and placed her hand against his as he began to disappear in front of her eyes. "I love you too Inuyasha. Thank you…for everything."

He kissed her one last time before he murmured, "Goodbye, Kagome…"

With that, he gave her a gentle push and she tumbled down through the well. Just before everything went black she stared up through the well's opening and watched him disappear completely, a look of complete tranquility on his face.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes to an entirely white room, blindingly bright compared to the darkness she had just been engulfed in, and she winced at the new feel of her surroundings. The first thing she noted (after the brightness of the room of course), was that her entire body felt as though it had been steamrolled, chewed up, spit out and thrown onto a rock. The next thing she realized was that the room in which she lay smelled so strongly of disinfectant she vaguely thanked Kami that she wasn't a demon or her nose would have gone crazy.

She opened her eyes once more and blearily realized there was someone in the room with her, though they appeared to be asleep. She tried to sit up, which was a bad idea she quickly realize, and groaned loudly.

The figure in the corner awoke with a start and rolled over to stare at her with piercingly worried eyes. It took Kagome a moment to realize it was her mother she was looking at and she attempted a smile as she mumbled, "Hi Mom…"

Her mother promptly broke down into happy sobs and was at her side in an instant, squealing her joy for the entire hospital to hear.

"Kagome? Kagome! Oh Kami she's woken up! Kagome!"

"Nee-san!" Her brother Souta came barging into the room, also at her side in a mere moment as he gripped her hand so tightly she almost complained.

"Quick! Somebody fetch a doctor!"

In mere minutes there was a horde of doctors around her taking various instruments to examine her, poking and prodding, sticking flashlights into her eyes and asking her random questions that she could hardly answer around the tube down her throat. Once they removed that she choked and sputtered that her name was Kagome, she had no idea what day it was and she lived at Higurashi shrine.

After what felt like hours of documentation and examination the room was finally cleared so that only her mother, Souta and Jii-chan remained with her. She smiled at all three of them and her mother leaned across the bed awkwardly to give her a hug.

"Oh Kagome I'm so glad you're alright! The doctors had no idea when you'd be awake and you've been asleep for so long…" her mother informed her.

Kagome glanced at the calendar across the room from her and muttered, "What's today? How long have I been out?"

Souta piped up happily, "You've been in a coma for the past week…" His expression went serious as he continued, "We were beginning to think that you'd never…"

He trailed off and Kagome weakly moved her hand to cover his. She understood completely and for the first time she was glad she hadn't gone with Inuyasha after all. If she had never woken up how painful would that have been for her family? How long before they could move on from losing her?

She opened her mouth to reply but a wide yawn drowned out her next sentence and her mother was instantly on it. "Alright, everyone out, Kagome needs her rest. Kagome you need to get some sleep." She kissed her daughter lovingly on her forehead and murmured, "We'll see you in the morning sweetie. Sweet dreams…"

Kagome giggled weakly as she drifted off. Her mother would never understand how sweet those dreams really were…

* * *

A few days went by before Kagome felt her strength finally start to return to its normal level and she was able to see her friends from school. Ayumi, Eri and Yuki were of course by her side as soon as they were allowed into her room. They cried over her and told her how glad they were that she had finally awoken and Kagome cried over the fact that they had missed her so much. Of course Hojo was there as well (along with half the school), prescribing so many remedies even the nurses were impressed.

But the best treat of all did happen until the day before Kagome was to check out of the hospital. Her mother had brought her new clothes to wear and she was about to change when a doctor came waltzing in, face buried in the clipboard he was writing on.

Kagome glanced up from where she was playing Chinese checkers with Souta and felt her heart stop and reboot. Surely he wasn't real…he couldn't be…but he looked just like him…

"Alright, Ms. Higurashi? I'm the assistant doctor slash intern in this place, Takahashi and I'll be taking care of you for the remainder of your incarceration. I'm glad to see that you're feeling better after that rather nasty accident. Kami you had quite a time didn't you? Don't you worry we'll have you out of here before you even…know it…"

As soon as he looked up at her Kagome knew that it was real. Dark violet eyes met with hers from behind the dark black hair that was escaping the loose ponytail he had affixed it in and his entire stature seemed to change as he stared at her.

They stared across the room at one another for long moments and Kagome hardly noticed as her mother exclaimed quietly, "Oh dear…Kagome, Souta and I are going down to the cafeteria to get something for lunch. Come along Souta dear so that Kagome can meet with her doctor…"

Ms. Higurashi's departure seemed to snap Takahashi out of his sudden stare off with Kagome and he cleared his throat rather nervously before moving closer to her bedside.

"Well then," he started as he pulled a pen out of his breast pocket and poised himself over the clipboard to begin writing, "Ms. Higurashi all we're going to do is give you a standard exam before we let you out of here-,"

"Inu…yasha?"

She couldn't hold it in any longer and as soon as the words had left her mouth his eyes snapped to meet hers and she nearly threw herself on him. "Do I-know you?" He exclaimed, unconsciously moving closer to her where she sat on the bed.

She laughed out loud and replied quietly, "Not exactly…"

He shook his head and began again, "So, we're going to give you a standard exam and then you're free to go tomorrow morning. Let's start with your eyes…"

He carefully pulled out a light and gently shone it into her eyes where Kagome wasn't sure what to do. After a few seconds he spoke, "So you already know my name. You have a name other than Ms. Higurashi?"

Kagome giggled. "Kagome. My name's Kagome."

Inuyasha narrowed her eyes as he pulled out the instrument that would unfortunately go into her ears. "Kagome huh? That's a pretty name. Sounds awfully familiar…" He murmured more to himself than to her but Kagome pressed her lips together to hold in her laughter.

"So Doctor Inuyasha, how long have you been a doctor?" She asked innocently enough as he finished up her left ear.

He motioned for her to open her mouth so he could shine another light down her throat and replied, "Ha…actually I'm only an intern since I just got out of school. Graduated last year top of the class so they figured, 'What the hell? Let's give him a job.'"

Kagome did laugh at that as she asked, "You like your job?"

He shrugged as he hooked the blood pressure monitor to her arm and began to squeeze. "It's alright, pays the college bills at least…"

He flashed her a grin that nearly made her melt and she was so stunned she went completely quiet while he tested her reflexes and got out his stethoscope. He blushed lightly as he placed it at her chest and she started speaking to make him feel better.

"Tell me something Inuyasha, if you don't mind?"

He grunted as he listened carefully to both her and her heartbeat.

"Is there a _Mrs._ Takahashi?"

Her question had done the trick. His blush shot to the fore and he pulled away to stare into her eyes. Her amusement was only dulled by the fact that he seemed genuinely embarrassed, but not enough to take her question back.

"No there isn't a…a _Mrs. Takahashi_ or anything…I don't even have a cat that can put up with me…"

She laughed and he snorted and grumbled, "Alright keep quiet and lean forward so I can measure your breathing."

This was where Kagome got shy. In order to feel her back he had to place the stethoscope under her shirt, which shouldn't have been nearly as bad had he not been facing her. They were both blushing and went completely quiet as he gently snaked the stethoscope beneath her smock and placed it gently on her skin.

She sucked in air between her teeth at the cold and he mumbled a sorry that came out rather garbled. She looked up to tell him it was alright to find that he was staring straight into her eyes and the entire world seemed to stop turning. Her heartbeat shot through the roof, and what was worst was he could completely hear it and didn't move. She vaguely realized that if she moved forward a fraction of an inch their lips would meet and she suddenly concentrated very hard on merely breathing.

The only thing that made her feel a little better was that Inuyasha seemed to be having the same problems she did as he tried desperately to stop glancing at her lips.

"Kagome! We were just coming up to see if you were…busy…oh," Eri and Yuki both blushed mightily in the doorway where they stood transfixed at the sight in front of them.

Yuki was the first to regain her wits as she giggled and exclaimed, "Well then, we'll just come back later when you're not busy! See you around Kagome! Come on Eri…"

Without another word the pair slipped out the door, shutting it behind them and leaving both Kagome and Inuyasha looking absolutely dumbfounded in the room. They looked back at each other and blushed harder than before while Inuyasha pulled the stethoscope away from her and winced.

"Well your heart seems to be working just fine. Everything's, you know…just fine…" he stammered at her while he wrote something on his clipboard. He finally looked up at her and looked as though he wanted to say something, but the door opened once more and both Ms. Higurashi and Souta walked in.

"Kagome look what I got! This is the best biscuit I've ever had in my life," Souta exclaimed and Kagome nodded at him to show she was listening while watching Inuyasha steadily from the door.

"Well doctor how is my daughter?" Ms. Higurashi asked innocently snapping him out of whatever Kagome induced stupor he was in.

"She's just fine ma'am. You two will have no problem getting out of here tomorrow," he turned to leave and Kagome called out, "Thanks Dr. Takahashi! I'll…I'll see you around?"

He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled happily. "Definitely…Ms. Higurashi."

* * *

Kagome stared up at the sky outside, leaning comfortably against the railing in front of her. She sighed happily and giggled to herself as she recalled that only 9 months before she had been a depressed wreck, hell bent on being a complete hermit for the rest of her life. Some things certainly did change didn't they…?

Things that she was glad had changed for the better. 'Dr. Takahashi', known to her as Inuyasha, had come by to the shrine about three days after she had been released from the hospital. She'd been delighted to see him and waited for the instant recognition to click in his mind. Surely if this was his reincarnation he remembered her…?

Unfortunately, he didn't. He stammered through introductions and blushed a brilliant red when her mother asked him to stay for dinner. For a while she'd been almost disappointed. Almost. Kagome had quickly realized that falling in love with Inuyasha in the first place had been one of the best parts of being in the past and that certainly didn't change in the future.

Somehow time had made him softer, no more vulnerable but with a less harsh quality to him that made him seem so much closer than he had ever been in the Sengoku Jidai. The two had been dating for the better part of 6 months and Kagome loved every second he offered. Somehow she just knew that he was a last gift from Inuyasha when she last let him go. She giggled again at the thought that he would have been jealous, even in death, had she been with anyone other than him…

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and she settled back against an equally chiseled chest as a voice that belonged to the body murmured in her ear, "What's so funny?"

She giggled softly again and turned to face Inuyasha, brushing some of the dark hair out of his face as she replied, "Just the fact that so much has changed in the past year. I can't believe everything that's happened. The accident…now I finally have you…"

He chuckled and kissed her gently on the forehead as she turned back around his arms. "You've been good for me too you know. I would have never kept that job at the hospital if not for you…" he told her quietly.

She nodded and opened her mouth to respond when he suddenly grunted, "Shooting star…make a wish."

She closed her eyes in excitement and started thinking of her perfect wish when something stopped her. She pulled away from him and stood up on her tip-toes to give him a kiss that had him wrapping his arms around her delicate frame.

"I've got everything I need right here…"

_The End_

* * *

**A/N: Okay peeps how was it? Was it everything you wanted and more? Did I answer all of your questions? I know there were a whole lot of them actually…anyway, one of my favorite stories to finish so I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.**

**Now, I couldn't answer the story properly while Kagome and Kikyo were talking, but to answer ****xxfrefallangelxx's ****question: he only comes at night because Kagome's mind only works that way. The same way that she never let him out of the house in the daytime, she wouldn't in her mind either. Everything that was her normal routine while she was out of the coma, was happening in her head. Does that make sense? If not, just PM me and I'll answer any questions anyone might have!**

**Thanks as always to all of my wonderful reviewers and my awesome beta Wildmage89. As always, you rock!**


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